I may be a relatively new ratty owner, but here recently I had my heart broken when my ratty Max had to be put to sleep. It was said he had kidney failure. I made a post about what happened and I was asking whether I should feel guilty because these were my first ratties and they did not explain the procedure to me and they gave my baby a heart shot while he was still awake. I knew nothing I thought it was like a cat where they give the first shot to sleep then the second shot. I didnt know. they said you cannot find a vain on a rat so the kindest thing to do was to give him a stick straight to the heart. I watched my poor baby suffer then later found that they were supposed to give him some gas. there was one person replied to my post who kinda upset me....I think maybe she ment well but I dunno.....she made me feel more guilty than ever by saying how everything the vet said was wrong. I am already having troubles accepting the decision I made even though I know my baby was dying. he was 3 years old a very old ratty. He was my perky baby, then I woke up one morning and he would barely even move kept falling back in my arms. Had something like pellets coming out of him from between his penis and his skin, not out of the penis.....I don't know.....I am new so I do not know what you mean by shoving info down others throats. I feel really bad already I just kinda felt like that person made it a little worse making me think the vet knew nothing he was talking about. I feel bad for not knowing that they were supposed to gas my poor baby. I was the last face Max saw when he was pained like that. my baby cried out and everything when they stuck him. he stuck the needle in Max's heart before I could figure out what in the world he was doing and smack him acrossed the head for it, it was too late. I was the last face Max saw, and I can only imagine what thoughts were going through his head, like mommy why are you doing this. I know Max understands now.....but It doesnt stop the pain and regret. now I am left with Max's brother Spaghetti and I am working hard on this forum to find new friends for him so he can stop grieving so badly. I found one lady with a pretty siamese ratty trio that I would love to give a home. we are working on transportation at the moment. Sorry if I talk too much, I was just wanting to know if what i was talking about was an example of shoving info down others throats?

I went and read the thread you were talking about, and no, that's not what we mean. What you got on that thread was good information that will allow you to make more informed decisions for your rats in the future. It is NOT your fault that you didn't know better, but we would be remiss in not pointing out that that particular vet doesn't really seem to have a clue. If you have a vet that you trust who sees your dogs and cats, definitely talk to her, and ask if she's willing to learn about rats. A vet who doesn't know but is willing to learn is leaps and bound above one who doesn't know, but pretends he does. You are perfectly justified in not wanting to see that vet again, and not one person here will blame you for that. You cannot blame yourself for what you did not know. At some point, we were all beginners, and trying to learn. The whole purpose of this forum is to try to cut down on stories like this, and get people informed.

When we talk about shoving info down people's throats, we're talking a large group of people all ganging up on someone, even though the info has been laid out already, and there's no real reason for 95 other people to say the same thing.

I'm sorry, I wasn't trying to get anyone in trouble, I was just wondering. The vet who sees my dogs and cats refuses to see rats because I guess she's afraid of them, I don't know but I have begged her before and she said she couldn't do it. I think that atleast if it comes down to it, that she would help me put Spaghetti to sleep. At the very least Im sure she could do that. and as I said, I will be going to that vet and getting my boy's records and none of my boys will ever go back there no matter what. The place I am taking Max to be sent off to be cremated is my cat and dog dr. she said I could have him sent off for cremation there. I just feel sick to my stomach everytime I remember his words "it was the kindest thing we coulda done by going straight into his heart" I want to beat him within an inch of his life, but it would do no good. besides....Max didn't understand then, but I believe he understands now across Rainbow Bridge I love and Miss Max as does my darling Sketti Bear but he is happier there across Rainbow Bridge.

Again, sorry, me being new I don't know what qualifies and what doesn't. I really need to read the rules somewhere, is there a place to do that?? hahahahaha

Yup, the Reference Desk section has all the rules. Definitely a good idea to check it all out.

The really important thing to remember when you're interacting on a forum is that you have no visual (or tone of voice) cues to go by as to what the poster intends to say, so it's important to try not to put your emotions onto the person you're reading. That is obviously easier said than done, especially when you're already distraught about losing a rat. Our goal, as a forum, is to help people learn and become advocates for their rats. It's what we were created for, so people have more of a clue when going to a vet that doesn't have one... We are here to help you. It's what we do. If you can remember that, it will help you to deal with a lot of information coming your way really fast.

This forum has already gained my respect by helping me more with my babies than that vet has I love this forum, and I know that I will be coming here for anymore ratty questions. Thank you so much for having this forum available

I agree with that. I joined a Pit Bull forum, and I know my dogs stuff, but because I was "new" to the forum they acted as if my opinions on dogs and training was whacked because I was young and a "newbie" to their site. So far with small animal forums I haven't had this experience, but I joined a few Pit forums that were ridiculously rude to me. So I know the feeling of being "Bullied" because of being a newbie to a forum; it chased me away from their sites and so far I am only a member of rat forums, pet forums, and bunny forums now. :/

I'm new (like really new, since a few day's). And I'm really happy and relieved to see that this forum is taking such good care of not only the animals, but also the human members ! Thank you so much for this ! I've been welcomed very well, and I've received really good advice already (like buying a 2nd rat). This looks like a great forum, and I'm really happy to have discovered it ! I still have a ton of things to learn, but I'm relieved to know that there is a place like this where I can get some answers...

I am definitely guilty of one of the above. It's the only time I've done it and I'm pretty stressed out right now with a divorce so it was definitely my fault. Honestly I still have a hard time believing that person isn't a troll but I am just not posting on any threads they make anymore.

I love goosemoose and I always recommend it to everyone I know with rats, or those interested in getting them in the future. I have noticed the situations you are talking about but I haven't been on often enough to notice that they had gotten that bad. Everyone I've recommended to GM always says they have a great time here and everyone is really helpful. I do hope we are able to clean up our act more and start to reclaim our helpful and kind title!

I am definitely guilty of one of the above. It's the only time I've done it and I'm pretty stressed out right now with a divorce so it was definitely my fault. Honestly I still have a hard time believing that person isn't a troll but I am just not posting on any threads they make anymore.

I love goosemoose and I always recommend it to everyone I know with rats, or those interested in getting them in the future. I have noticed the situations you are talking about but I haven't been on often enough to notice that they had gotten that bad. Everyone I've recommended to GM always says they have a great time here and everyone is really helpful. I do hope we are able to clean up our act more and start to reclaim our helpful and kind title!

Note that the original post was a few years ago. By and large, I think the reform took. I've certainly been treated very kindly by folks in the year I've been on the forum. While people can be stern with posters who don't appear to have thought out their decision to take on rats (especially in the matter of how to pay for vet bills), they are also quick to praise when the poster gets his or her act together and flies right.